Garuda Indonesia has opened a route linking Jakarta to the eastern provincial capital cities of Manado in North Sulawesi and on to Ternate in North Maluku.
Designed to increase tourism and business travel to Indonesia’s eastern island provinces, the new flight comes at a time when the Indonesian economy is growing steadily, with predictions of 6 percent increases in GDP this year and next.
The Garuda flight leaves Jakarta at 0610, arriving in Manado at 1030 and in Ternate at 1300. Manado is one hour ahead of Jakarta and Ternate is two hours ahead.
Return flights leave Ternate for Manado at 1340 and from Manado to Jakarta at 1410. The flight arrives in Jakarta at 1620.
A Garuda spokesman said: “We operate 737-300 Boeing aircraft for the route, with a seat capacity of 16 in business class and 94 in economy class. This effort is also intended to help the economy of cities in eastern Indonesia which have the potential to develop such as Ternate.”
Garuda is planning to open another route from Jakarta to Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, on July 3.
Kenny Coyle
